1979 07 09
SPECIAL CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL MEETING JULY 9, 1979
Mayor Hobbs called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m. with the following members present:
Councilmen Pearson, Neveaux, Geving, and Matthews.
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NORTHEAST TRANSPORTATION STUDY, NORTH OF LOTUS LAKE BETWEEN POWERS BLVD. AND HIGHWAY 101:
Many residents were present. Ray Jackson, Schoell and Madson, presented the engineering
repo rt.
Ray Jackson - There is an existing street in this area, Pleasant View Road. It is curving
and is not adequate for large traffic volumes. There is potential for a
tremendous amount of development in this area. The area immediately abutting
Pleasant View Road can easily generate 650 dwelling units. The numoer of
tri ps that are going to be generated by those dwell ing units can range
anywhere from 3,000 to 7,000 but generally there are going to be many more
cars on Pleasant View Road than there are right now. We feel that
Pleasant View Road is not a safe road to handle large traffic volume-s'so
what we have done is define an alignment at this time. That alignment,
if it is adopted by the City Council, would then be adopted by all the
development in the area and if it's incorporated in those development plans
then traffic will be provided for as the development occurs. We are not
proposing that the road be built at this time. We are not proposing that
it be assessed~at this time. The existance of a road is acceptable to the
state åid system administrators and they have accepted it for state aid
financing if and when it is ever built. We are proposing a two lane road.
We are proposing a 36 foot width because of the requirements of the state
aid office. It would have a design speed of 35 m.p.h. There would be
limited access to it from new development which is feasible because it
would go through basically new development areas. There would be stop signs
periodically at intersections. Things like that would tend to discourage
the road as a major arterial or a minor arterial through the area. We
don't envision it as being a major street to carry traffic from Edina
to points west. The Crosstown is extended in some fashion or if it isn't
extended really isn!t material. What is material is that there is potential
for enough development immediately adjacent to this road, we feel, to
justify the adoption of an alignment for a future road by the City Council.
Dean Wetze1,representing the neighborhood, spoke against the proposed street. Philip
Getts, representing Pf1aumwell Development Partnership and area residents, also spoke
against the proposed street.
Councilman Neveaux moved to disapprove the Schoell and Madson report dated May 22, 1979,
on the northeast Chanhassen East/West Corridor Road and the June 27, 1979, addendum.
Motion seconded by Councilman Matthews. The following voted in favor: Mayor Hobbs,
Councilmen Pearson, Neveaux, Matthews, and Geving. No negative votes. Motion carried.
CONTINUATION OF THE JUNE 11, 1979, CARVER BEACH DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PUBLIC
HEARING HELD JULY 9, 1979
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Mayor Hobbs called the hearing to order at 9:15 p.m. with the following interested persons
pres en t:
Conrad Fiskness, 8033 Cheyenne
Pam and Jeff Kleiner, 7000 Carver Beach Road
Sarah and Bruce Lantz, 7030 Carver Beach Road
Phyllis Pope, 7055 Carver Beach Road
Chris Welsh, 825 West 68th Street
Robert Amick, 605 West 70th Street
C. M. Niemeyer, 6798 Huron
Mrs. Frank Moulton, 7205 Carver Beach Road
Council Meeting July 9, 1979
H. E. and Lulu Sampson, 6940 Huron
Elizabeth LeTendre, 6900 Huron
Mermon Tock, 6598 Huron
Merlin Kinkel, 6950 Redman Lane
John Cox, 6840 Shawnee Lane
Mike Wegler, 660 Iroquois
Vernon Kerber, 7241 Powers Blvd.
Al K1ingelhutz, 8601 Great Plains Blvd.
Bob and Cherie Hruska, 6940 Redman Lane
Stuart Johnson, 6941 Redman Lane
Joseph Abernathy, 6930 Redman Lane
Art Graikowski, 6931 Redman Lane
Jack Gi 11
Ray Jackson
Russell Larson
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Ray Jackson answered questions raised by Phyllis Pope in her letter to'the Council.
Ray Jackson - I believe we addressed most of her questions previously but a couple
of them we did not and I would like to address them at this time.
Her first question - Does any group other than the city engineers
recommend this project, such as the Dept. of Natural Resources, Watershed
District or Pollution Control Agency? The Watershed District has reviewed
the drainage in this area in conjunction with the New Horizon improvement
and they have stipul ated some conditions for New Horizon to meet as
far as their discharge from their site until this drainageway is
improved in~ome fashion. The other questions were regard to the
fact that this improvement project is similar to the one proposed for
Lot 12 and it is very similar. The major difference between this and I
Lot 12 drainage area is that a large portion of this drainageway was
and still is undeveloped. Whereas the Lot 12 drainageway was a
collector point for existing storm sewers throughout the Western Hills
area and the problems there were more specific and more easily defined.
In this particular area, until New Horizon development plans came along
and along with their drainage study it was really an unknown entity
as to how that area would develop. Secondly it was asked, during the
laying of sewer pipe in the creek bed three years ago, what was the
reason followed in returning the creek to the original state? Basically
the sewer pipe that went in at that time crossed the alignment of the
ditch which was in some areas well defined and in other areas not so well
defined. It was a requi rement to res tore the creek to that conditi on.
That was a requirement of the watershed district. It was also determined
at that time that this was no~a drainage improvement but a sewer and
water improvement and the question of making a major drainage
improvement at that time was not addressed. There was in fact check dams
installed in this area three years ago which functioned for a very short
time basically because of the impact of the very severe storm in 1977.
I think the rest of the questions in Mrs. Pope IS letter have been
answered.
I would also like to point something out that in the comments made by
Mr. Hi bbert Hi 11 he quoted in part from his 1 etter "We urge improvement
of the existing drainage in the ways generally indicated in the notice. I
We oppose construction of a service road along the drainageway."
Because of Mr. Hillis spoken opposition and written opposition to doing
such we would probably not recommend further consideration of the
road in conjunction with the drainageway. One of the other advantages
of constructing that road was beside the access to the lift station
would have provided access to the ditch for maintenance purposes.
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Council Meeting July 9, 1979
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Another question that" came~urf was the cost of easements. The costs
stated for the improvement were based on no easement acquisition costs
included. To say what easements would cost is virtually impossible at this
time because you have to negotiate acquisition of easements.
Art Graikowski - There is one individual that's involved with this culvert and two years
ago he had 8 inches of water in his basement. Could we impose upon the
City to use their equipment to widen the easement thats there to have
that area cleaned out and build our own retention pond on that side of
the road at no cost to us from the City to hold that water on that
side so he doesn't get it backed up into his basement. The easement is
there. The county road is there. If we could widen it out to the full
easement rights I think we can build enough retention that he would not
have this water problem.
Mayor Hobbs - It would be a possibility to look at how we can handle a local drainage
problem within a local area.
Art Graikowski - We are asking for anormal-maihtenaÎ1ce cléan uP' of the culvert and
use of the full ease'l11ent then we would eliminate this.
Phyllis Pope - There is one dam on Mr. Hillis property, the one closest to the lake,
where the City has put rip rap in to strengthen the dam and it seems to
be holding very well. There is no erosion in the creek. Why can It each
of these dams be treated in the same way so that the creek would not
continually erode. Couldn't it just be rip rapped at the dam area
and the creek cleaned out of the rubbish and limbs that are clogging it
right now. The culvert under the Moulton driveway is about half full
of limbs and rubbish right now.
Ray Jackson - It is my opinion that the erosion problem wou1dn't be solved but perhaps
would be tempo~&rily curtailed again until the reoccurance of a significant
storm at which point ~rosion would probably reoccur. The check dams serve
a function in slowing down water and accumulating silt behind them
and that requires cleaning out periodically which is a fairly expensive
procedure in an area like that where it is very inaccessible. That was the
idea, I guess, when they were put in initially that it was a low cost way
to hopefully solve a problem and given a couple of dry years since they were
put in rather than the heavy rains that we have experienced for a couple
of years we may not be here toni ght.
As far as the capacity of the pipe under the Moul ton dri veway, the ca 1 cul ati ons
are all based on the full carrying capacity of that pipe. There is some
under mining under the pipe but cleaning it out and replacing rip rap would
be a short term way of improving the existing situation.
Conrad Fi s kness - Carver County Representati ve on the Ri 1 ey/Pu-rgatorý Creek Watershed
District. This proposal as we11 as several others that have been
undertaken by the City and reviewed by us have been of considerable
concern to us over a number of years. The past record of moving the
major storm water after it's been collected and then moving into open
ditches, we would challenge that approach. We have reluctantly approved
some projects of that type here in the past and we have expressed
reservations at the time that we approved them and our reservations have
proven out much to our dismay. Lot 12 is one example. We reluctantly
went along with that idea back when it was done and as far as we are
concerned that's a disaster. We have done some investigative work
with regard to the cost of maintenance on above ground movement of
water, granted the initial cost is greater for underground, yet, it
has been the opinion of the people that we have talked to that every
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five to eight years you have major maintenance required. In 15
to 20 years you will buy back any difference. We are concerned
about the environmental affect of the above ground movement of I
storm water. We were disappointed on the first go-round that
the option of looking at underground piping wasn't even included
in part of the feasibility study. We feel that is one very viable
alternative and we would urge that would be looked into further.
Mayor Hobbs - What are the prospects for municipalities getting major funding from the
watershed district?
Conrad Fiskness - We are not funded to the extent of being able to undertake like that.
We have worked on some cooperative projects with various municipalities.
A petition was presented, signed by residents of Greenwood Shores, opposed to the
improvement of the culvert under Powers Blvd.
Al Klingelhutz - Has Chanhassen ever been in one of your cooperative projects?
Conrad Fiskness Yes, the program for the retention pond just on the east side of
Fronti er Trail.
Merlyn Kinkel - I moved to Greenwood Shores in 1964. That happens to be the year they
put in the road. The county changed County Road 17, straightened it
out, etc. At that particular time we had as many lots in Greenwood
Shores as we do right now and it seems to me that if there is a problem
it's the County Engineerls problem and they should get involved in
helping us pay for that. They knew the number of lots that were in
Greenwood Shores. If that culvert is undersized it surely not the
fault of these people and myself who happen to live in that particular I
drainage area. I am terribly concerned that all of a sudden 15 or
20 people are going to pick up $11,000 tab on something that the
County should have been able to solve 15 years ago.
Ray Jackson - If the Council were to include it in I would recommend that you include
it in contingent upon some participation and I would think a significant
amount of participation by the county. We consider it to be a county
problem.
Mrs. Gordon Tock - We are right down there at the end of the lake and Ilm telling you
the water that comes down that road, the garbage and the limbs
that are swept into that lake and the front part of our lot is
nothing but a soup hole. I understand there is a leak in the
sewer down there and on these warm humid days it smells just like
an outhouse.
Jack Gill - I think the smell you are referring to is from the lift station. The water
does run down there very fast and this is from the Devil IS Slide drainage
way. It always has and it1s probably more so now since we have paved
everything and put berms. We took the ditches out and you probably have
more water now than you ever had because we have paved a lot more of the
roads and we have put berms on the sides and therefore there is more water
coming down there.
Robert Amick - Regarding the proposed drainage improvement project, as it was proposed,
I think there are three basic questions that need to be examined when I
we consider the total feasibility of the project. Is it absolutely
necessary? This creek, similar to its existing alignment has been
classified by the Minnesota Department of Conservation now the
Department of Natural Resources as an intermittent stream. Today, this
stream still cannot be traced uninterrupted to its source during every
season of the year and it may therefore still be classified as an
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Council Meeting July 9, 1979
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intermittent stream. The status of the stream has not changed in the
past 26 years. We will therefore presume that the so called erosion
prob 1 em encountered today also cannot have charryed' s i gnifi cantly from
any erosion problems considered- or encountered 26 years ago. I submit that
any condi tion that has-existed -for 26 years can certainly be 1 ived
with as it continues to exist now. Secondly, who is going to benefit
from the project? One justification for the project according to an
article in the Carver County Herald, is that the erosion has uprooted
several trees and presently threatens others: The City IS ori ginal proposal
i ncl udes cl eari ng and grubbi ng adjacent to the stream. The"City apP,ears
to be saying, either the erosion will kill the trees or the contractor
will come in and cut them down. - Who stands to benefit from that? Either
way the trees are lost~ Maybe the property owners along the stream will
be benefitting but these same property owners seem to be opposed to the
project. The only ones that seem to be benefitting from the project
are possibly the City Engineer,- the City Attorney, and the contractor
who ultimately may end up getting the project. Thirdly, is the project
cost effecti ve? It seems to be that the project can I t be justified on
the basis of total necessity and if itls opposed by the residents directed
affected by the proposed benefits of the project, it can It be cost
effective. What is the money being spent for?
Councilman Matthews moved to close the publ i c hearing. Motion seconded by Counci lman
Pearson. The following voted in favor: Mayor Hobbs, Councilmen Pearson, Neveaux, Geving,
and Matthews. No negative votes. Hearing closed at 10:00 p.m.
CARVER BEACH DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT 79-1: Councilman Pearson moved to authorize
the channel improvement of existing drainage way, including modification of channel
sections to reduce velocity, elimination or-modification'of bends to-minimize
turbulence, lining of channel with material that will provide stability. Motion seconded
by Councilman Matthews. The following voted in favor: Mayor Hobbs and Councilman Pearson.
Councilmen Matthews, Neveaux, and Geving voted no. Motion failed.
Councilman Neveaux moved to disapprove the installation of reinforced concrete culvert
under County Road 17 at Greenwood Shores and construction of a service road along realigned
drainage way from Carver Beach Road to Lotus Lake as setforth in the public hearing notice.
Motion seconded by Counci 1man Matthews. Thefo11 owing voted in favor: Mayor Hobbs,
Councilmen Pearson, Neveaux, Geving, and Matthews. No negative votes. Motion carried.
Councilman Pearson moved to adjourn. Motion seconded by Councilman Geving. The following
voted in favor: Mayor Hobbs, Councilmen Pearson, Neveaux, Geving, and Matthews. No
negative votes. Meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m.
Don As hworth
Ci ty Manager